Five days in Nice, capital of the Cote D’Azur

Travel consultant Becky Allen joined our Chapters Experience Holiday along the French Riviera in Nice this February. The holiday is a ‘Leisurely’ one so includes some walking and lots of cultural visits. Becky and her colleague Wendy joined five clients on this holiday, in addition to the tour Leader, Joan. All the clients had previously enjoyed Ramblers Walking Holidays and so were keen to experience their first Chapters holiday, sister company to Ramblers Walking Holidays.

The holiday coincided with the annual Nice Winter Carnival, one of the largest carnivals in the world, and so everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the celebrations and watch the fabulous evening parades. Here’s Becky’s holiday diary.

Day 1

We were thrilled when we arrived at the Hotel Vendome, right in the centre of Nice. It’s beautifully ornate, and each room is uniquely decorated with different pastel embellishments and sculpted ceilings.

Having settled in and relaxed, the group met our tour leader, Joan. We got to know each other over a glass of wine and Joan advised us of the itinerary for the next few days. We were delighted to find that the Nice Winter Carnival was taking place – there was a great buzz to the city as people prepared for the parades!

Hotel Vendome

Day 2

Today’s destination was the small town of Vence, situated in the hills of the Alpes Maritime. Travelling by local bus gave us the chance to take in the passing scenery. We visited the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, a small chapel decorated with stained glass windows by Matisse, and We ventured into the miniature museum dedicated to the artist that was recently built on the side of the Chapelle; the artworks there illustrated the process of choosing the most symbolic and contrasting colours for the stained glass windows.

After a quick lunch overlooking the hills of Vence, we walked for an hour or so through winding stone paths and up through the surrounding forest to St Paul de Vence, one of the oldest towns in the French Riviera. We walked through its cobbled stone streets to the viewpoint at the top of the town with its spectacular views of the surrounding villages. Then we were able to independently explore the village and its shops before catching the bus back to Nice.

a view over Vence

Day 3

Today we were met by a local guide who took us on a three-hour walking tour around Nice. We visited a variety of different chapels and traditional shops, including bakeries, where we were able to watch the traditional French process of bread-making in ancient ovens. We also visited the flower and food markets where we were bought fantastic traditional and local food for lunch.

Some of the group chose to take the lift to the Nice Castle Hill viewpoint, while others opted for the 20-minute walk up the cliffside, meeting at the man-made waterfall of Castle Hill to walk the remaining 10 minutes to the very top, where we were rewarded with phenomenal views of Nice and the Maritime Alps. Joan informed us that the brilliant turquoise colour of the sea was created by the mixing of the fresh water from the Alps and the salt water of the sea. The arrays of colourful buildings that form Nice were clearly visible – it was a memorable part of the trip.

Later, we headed off to the Park Le Chateau, where we wandered through the olive trees to the recently developed Matisse Museum, where we learned more about his quirky paintings and materials.

Day 4

Back on the bus today, as we set off for the hilltop village of Eze. This medieval village with its cobbled streets was decorated with blossom and ivy. At the top of the village was the Jardin Botanique d’Eze, a fascinating cactus garden. We had plenty of time to wander about and explore the village independently before we set off for Monaco. The group then split into two for the journey to Monaco. One group travelled by public bus and had longer to enjoy Monaco over lunch, while the other group took an hour’s walk down the mountain to have lunch on the seafront before catching the bus to meet the group in Monaco. The walk down to the seafront offered spectacular views of the French Riviera – another highlight of the trip.

Eze and the walk to the sea front

The afternoon was spent travelling through both Monaco and Monte Carlo. In Monte Carlo, we ventured into the Casino, which looked just like a set from a James Bond film. We enjoyed a (very expensive!) drink at a bar outside the Casino, where we watched glamorous women and men arrive in their luxury vehicles. A water taxi took us back across the bay to Monaco, where we wandered through its quieter colourful streets and took in its palace.

Monaco and Monte Carlo

Day 5

Our destination today was the nearby peninsula of Cap Ferrat, where the group had the choice of taking a break in a local coffee shop, or going for a short walk around the smaller 3km peninsula. This particular walk was very rustic as the pathways were surrounded by trees and the sea. The waves lapped over the rocks below the pathways, making it relaxing and enjoyable walking. We then met the rest of the group to start the longer walk around the larger 10km neighbouring peninsula. The paths were much wider and the vegetation was minimal compared to the shorter walk, but we were able to experience beautiful views as the altitude climbed.

The walk ended at our next visit, Villa Ephrussi. We independently explored the villa and its nine exotic gardens, each based on a different theme; for example, Japan, or Roses. In the main garden outside the Villa there were pools and fountains that dance to music every 20 minutes.

This was to be our last evening in Nice, and the group enjoyed dinner together, discussing our most memorable parts of the holiday and the destinations we hoped to travel to in the future. After a fond farewell the next morning, the group headed to the airport for their flights home.

Cap Ferrat and Villa Ephrussi